Democratic Party (Cook Islands)
Encyclopedia
The Democratic Party is a liberal political party
in the Cook Islands
. It is currently the Opposition
party in the Cook Islands Parliament
.
in 1971, in opposition to the Cook Islands Party
(CIP) of Albert Henry
. In the 1972 election
, it won eight seats, breaking the two-thirds majority of the CIP. In 1978
, it won power, with Davis becoming Prime Minister
. It became one of the two primary parties of the Cook Islands, alternating in power with the CIP. Davis served as prime minister of the Cook Islands from 1978 to 1987, with a brief interruption in 1983 when the Cook Islands briefly returned to power. The Democratic Party remained in power until 1989. In the late 1990s, the party experienced a split, with the majority of the party renamed the Democratic Alliance Party. A breakaway faction led by Norman George
was named the New Alliance Party
. Despite this, the Democratic Party became the largest political party in the 1999 elections, winning 11 of 25 seats. The New Alliance Party, with 4 seats, made a coalition with the Cook Islands party to keep that party in power for several more months, but the coalition soon broke down, and the New Alliance Party formed a coalition party with the Democrats, allowing Democratic party leader Terepai Maoate
to become prime minister. The Democratic Alliance Party and the New Alliance Party later reunited under the old Democratic Party name.
In 2002 Maoate was overthrown in a no confidence vote and replaced by his deputy Robert Woonton
, also a member of the DAP. It formed a coalition with the Cook Islands Party which broke down in 2003.
, 7 September 2004, the Democratic Alliance won 47.2 % of popular votes and 12 out of 24 seats. Prime Minister Robert Woonton, though initially believed to have retained his seat, which would have allowed the Democratic Party to have a majority, was determined in a recount to have received an equal number of votes as his opponent, and he lost a revote. The new party leader, Jim Marurai
, became Prime Minister. In 2005, however, Marurai left the party due to internal disputes, founding his own Cook Islands First Party
. Marurai continued to govern with the help of the CIP. Later, however, the agreement with the CIP broke down, and Marurai allied himself with the Democrats again. He has since rejoined the party, continuing to serve as Prime Minister but not party leader. Terepai Maoate became deputy prime minister and party leader. At the 2006 elections
, the Democratic Party gained a majority of seats, winning 15 of the 24 seats.
. In December 2009, Prime Minister Jim Marurai sacked his Deputy Prime Minister, Terepai Maoate
, sparking a mass-resignation of Democratic Party cabinet members He and new Deputy Prime Minister Robert Wigmore
were subsequently expelled from the Democratic Party, and the party withdrew its support. A formal split was averted in June 2010 when a party conference readmitted Marurai, Wigmore, and the other Cabinet members, and appointed Wigmore as party leader, with Wilkie Rasmussen
as his deputy. However, several senior MPs, including former leader Terepai Maoate
and former President John Tangi
subsequently failed to win reselection and ran as independents.
The party launched its campaign on October 7 in vaka Takitumu with the campaign slogan "Our Future. Now." The party promised stability, benefit increases, and public service cuts. It contested every electorate except Arutanga-Nikaupara-Reureu. The party was unsuccessful in the elections, winning only 8 of 24 seats.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in the Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
. It is currently the Opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
party in the Cook Islands Parliament
Parliament of the Cook Islands
The Parliament of the Cook Islands is the legislature of the Cook Islands. Originally established under New Zealand colonial rule, it became the national legislature on independence in 1965....
.
Early years
The Democratic Party was founded by Tom DavisTom Davis (Cook Islands)
Sir Thomas "Tom" Robert Alexander Harries Davis KBE was a Prime Minister of the Cook Islands and a medical researcher.-Early life and education:...
in 1971, in opposition to the Cook Islands Party
Cook Islands Party
The Cook Islands Party is a nationalist political party in the Cook Islands. It was the first political party founded in the Cook Islands, and one of the two major parties of the Islands' politics since 1965....
(CIP) of Albert Henry
Albert Henry
Albert Royle Henry was the first Premier of the Cook Islands. He was forced to resign from that post in a 1978 voting scandal for which he was later convicted of fraud...
. In the 1972 election
Cook Islands general election, 1972
General elections were held in the Cook Islands in March 1972 to elect 22 MPs to the Cook Islands Parliament. The elections were won by the Cook Islands party, which won 15 seats and 68.2% of the vote. The newly formed Democratic Party won 7 seats and 31.8% of the vote....
, it won eight seats, breaking the two-thirds majority of the CIP. In 1978
Cook Islands general election, 1978
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 30 March, 1978 to elect 22 MPs to the Parliament. The result was a victory for the Cook Islands Party under Albert Henry, but it later emerged that the CIP had flown hundreds of supporters from New Zealand to the Cook Islands at public expense in...
, it won power, with Davis becoming Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
The Prime Minister of the Cook Islands is the official rsponsible for heading Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's government in the Cook Islands, a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand. The office was established in 1965, when self-government was first granted to the islands...
. It became one of the two primary parties of the Cook Islands, alternating in power with the CIP. Davis served as prime minister of the Cook Islands from 1978 to 1987, with a brief interruption in 1983 when the Cook Islands briefly returned to power. The Democratic Party remained in power until 1989. In the late 1990s, the party experienced a split, with the majority of the party renamed the Democratic Alliance Party. A breakaway faction led by Norman George
Norman George
Norman George is a Cook Islands politician and former Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister, and Cabinet Minister....
was named the New Alliance Party
New Alliance Party (Cook Islands)
The New Alliance Party was a political party in the Cook Islands. The party was led by Norman George, and was a continuation of his Alliance Party....
. Despite this, the Democratic Party became the largest political party in the 1999 elections, winning 11 of 25 seats. The New Alliance Party, with 4 seats, made a coalition with the Cook Islands party to keep that party in power for several more months, but the coalition soon broke down, and the New Alliance Party formed a coalition party with the Democrats, allowing Democratic party leader Terepai Maoate
Terepai Maoate
Sir Terepai Tuamure Maoate, KBE was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 18 November 1999 to 11 February 2002. He is a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party...
to become prime minister. The Democratic Alliance Party and the New Alliance Party later reunited under the old Democratic Party name.
In 2002 Maoate was overthrown in a no confidence vote and replaced by his deputy Robert Woonton
Robert Woonton
Dr Robert Woonton was the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 11 February 2002 until 11 December 2004, and is a member of the centrist Democratic Party. A medical doctor by training, he became a Member of Parliament for the island of Manihiki...
, also a member of the DAP. It formed a coalition with the Cook Islands Party which broke down in 2003.
2004 and 2006 elections
At the next electionsElections in the Cook Islands
Elections in the Cook Islands gives information on election and election results in the Cook Islands.The Cook Islands elects on national level a legislature. The Parliament of the Cook Islands has 24 members, elected for a four year term in single-seat constuencies...
, 7 September 2004, the Democratic Alliance won 47.2 % of popular votes and 12 out of 24 seats. Prime Minister Robert Woonton, though initially believed to have retained his seat, which would have allowed the Democratic Party to have a majority, was determined in a recount to have received an equal number of votes as his opponent, and he lost a revote. The new party leader, Jim Marurai
Jim Marurai
Jim Marurai is a Cook Islands politician and former Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Personal life:...
, became Prime Minister. In 2005, however, Marurai left the party due to internal disputes, founding his own Cook Islands First Party
Cook Islands First Party
The Cook Islands First Party was a political party in the Cook Islands. The party was originally a faction within the Cook Islands Democratic Party which supported Prime Minister Robert Woonton over Terepai Maoate...
. Marurai continued to govern with the help of the CIP. Later, however, the agreement with the CIP broke down, and Marurai allied himself with the Democrats again. He has since rejoined the party, continuing to serve as Prime Minister but not party leader. Terepai Maoate became deputy prime minister and party leader. At the 2006 elections
Cook Islands general election, 2006
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on September 27, 2006 in order to elect 24 MPs to the Cook Islands Parliament. The Democratic Party remained in power, winning 15 of 24 seats. A total of 8,497 voters turned out to vote....
, the Democratic Party gained a majority of seats, winning 15 of the 24 seats.
2010 election campaign
The party suffered from internal strife in the leadup to the 2010 electionCook Islands general election, 2010
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 17 November 2010 in order to elect 24 MPs to the Cook Islands Parliament. The elections were won by the Cook Islands Party, which won 16 of the 24 seats...
. In December 2009, Prime Minister Jim Marurai sacked his Deputy Prime Minister, Terepai Maoate
Terepai Maoate
Sir Terepai Tuamure Maoate, KBE was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 18 November 1999 to 11 February 2002. He is a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party...
, sparking a mass-resignation of Democratic Party cabinet members He and new Deputy Prime Minister Robert Wigmore
Robert Wigmore
Robert George Wigmore is a Cook Islands politician and former Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands and Cabinet Minister. He is leader of the Cook Islands Democratic Party....
were subsequently expelled from the Democratic Party, and the party withdrew its support. A formal split was averted in June 2010 when a party conference readmitted Marurai, Wigmore, and the other Cabinet members, and appointed Wigmore as party leader, with Wilkie Rasmussen
Wilkie Rasmussen
Wilkie Olaf Patua Rasmussen is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is deputy leader of the Cook Islands Democratic Party, and represents the constituency of Penrhyn....
as his deputy. However, several senior MPs, including former leader Terepai Maoate
Terepai Maoate
Sir Terepai Tuamure Maoate, KBE was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 18 November 1999 to 11 February 2002. He is a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party...
and former President John Tangi
John Tangi
John David Tangi is a Cook Islands politician and former Member of the Cook Islands Parliament. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
subsequently failed to win reselection and ran as independents.
The party launched its campaign on October 7 in vaka Takitumu with the campaign slogan "Our Future. Now." The party promised stability, benefit increases, and public service cuts. It contested every electorate except Arutanga-Nikaupara-Reureu. The party was unsuccessful in the elections, winning only 8 of 24 seats.
Leaders
- Tom Davis (1971 - 1987)
- Pupuke RobatiPupuke RobatiSir Pupuke Robati KBE was a Cook Island politician who was the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 29 July 1987 to 1 February 1989....
(1987 - 1991) - Terepai MaoateTerepai MaoateSir Terepai Tuamure Maoate, KBE was Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 18 November 1999 to 11 February 2002. He is a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party...
(1991 - 3 June 2010) - Robert WigmoreRobert WigmoreRobert George Wigmore is a Cook Islands politician and former Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands and Cabinet Minister. He is leader of the Cook Islands Democratic Party....
(3 June 2010 - present)